Dad Names
- Dillon
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"loyal"Description:
Different origin from the Welsh Dylan, but increasingly used as a variant spelling to honor Bob Dylan or Dylan Thomas. Still, the Dylan spelling is found 20 times as often as Dillon.
- Dario
Origin:
Italian variation of DariusMeaning:
"possessing goodness"Description:
More creative and artsy than Mario. Dario is starting to edge up the US popularity list after languishing near the bottom of the Top 1000 over the last four decades. Is that inspired by Dario's popularity in Italy, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland?
- Erik
Origin:
Spelling variation of Eric, Old NorseMeaning:
"eternal ruler"Description:
While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the Anglo-Saxon period. Now, Erik is popular in Scandinavia and throughout much of Central and Eastern Europe, where it ranks in the Top 100 in Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, and more.
- Arturo
Origin:
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Arthur, CelticMeaning:
"bear"Description:
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish variation of Arthur that makes the original feel more romantic and dashing.
- Chandler
Origin:
English from French occupational nameMeaning:
"candle maker"Description:
For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends. Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but this name deserves consideration beyond these connotations: Chandler is a fresh take on the professional surname names.
- Quinton
Origin:
English or LatinMeaning:
"queen's manor; fith"Description:
Quinton is among several attractive Q-beginning, n-ending two-syllable names for boys, that also includes Quentin (the most popular iteration) and Quenton. They only suffer from their similarity and possible spelling confusion, ala girls' names Kristin, Kirsten and sisters.
- Shea
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"the stately, dauntless one"Description:
A common surname in Ireland that projects a complex image for a short-one-syllable name, combining spirit and substance.
- Chance
Origin:
French variation of ChaunceyDescription:
Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the name's popularity.
- Cory
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"from the hollow"Description:
A variation of Corey, this spelling has also been on a steady decline since the early-1990s. Its days are likely numbered on the US popularity charts altogether.
- Collin
Origin:
Variation of Colin and CollinsDescription:
Thanks to its dashing British image and c-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin/Collin has enjoyed a long run of popularity.
- Brendan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"prince"Description:
According to Irish legend, Saint Brendan the Voyager was the first European to touch American soil, and his name has been established here for decades, peaking in the late 1990s.
- Pierre
Origin:
French variation of PeterMeaning:
"rock, stone"Description:
One of the most familiar — if not stereotypical — Gallic names. Pierre was a Top 5 name in France from the 19th century through 1940 and is now on a steady decline in its native land. In the US, Pierre was most common in the 1980s but it has never cracked the Top 300.
- Stefan
Origin:
German, Scandinavian, Polish, and Russian variation of StephenDescription:
An elegant, continental name for the post-Steve era. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1949 and has been on the list every year since except for a year off in 2008.
- Raul
Origin:
Spanish variation of RalphMeaning:
"wolf counsel"Description:
Raul and French brother Raoul are much more appealing than flat-footed daddy Ralph. Puerto Rican actor Raul Julia, who starred in the Addams Family movies, brought fame to the name before his death in 1994.
- Skyler
Origin:
Spelling variation of SchuylerDescription:
While Skylar is currently the most popular spelling choice for girls - and the spelling seen most often - the Skyler option is more (statistically) unisex. Given to boy and girls in nearly equal numbers each year, it ranks around the middle of the US Top 1000 and is given to more than 400 boys every year.
- Juan
Origin:
Spanish and Manx variation of JohnMeaning:
"the Lord is gracious"Description:
Juan, the Spanish version of John, is ubiquitous in the Spanish-speaking world, and is familiar internationally via such references as Don Juan and San Juan.
- Nigel
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark, black-haired"Description:
A name that Yanks might see as overly British, but combined with the right surname, it does have a measure of Sherlock Holmesian dash via Nigel Bruce, who played the original Dr. Watson to Basil Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes.
- Javier
Origin:
Spanish variation of XavierDescription:
One of the most popular Spanish names for boys in the US, Javier is embodied for many Americans in the magnetic persona of Spanish-born Oscar-nominated actor Javier Bardem.
- Tanner
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"leather tanner"Description:
One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining.
- Alvaro
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"elf warrior"Description:
A well-used Spanish saint's name with a lot of flair that could definitely cross over to more general usage. It reached its peak in the United States in 1985, when it ranked Number 456. In Spain, Alvaro is a Top 20 boys' name.